Ruffler.



N0. 830,508. PATEN'IED SEPTJI, 1906.

A. G. LAMB.

RUFFLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8', 1905.

miizeJJea UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMHERST G. LAMB, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO EXCELSIOR NEEDLE COMPANY, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

RUFFLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906 Application filed July 3,1905. Serial No. 268,018.

To (LZZ whom 2326 11m concern.-

Be it known that I, AMHERST G. LAMB, a citizen of the United States, residing in Torrington, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rufflers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sewing-machine attachments, and has for an object to provide an improved ruffler adapted for securement to the presser-foot bar of a sewing-machine and having an actuatorarm to be moved in both directions by the needle-bar, and particularly one which will make one ruffiing or gathering stroke to a plurality of needle-strokes. Forinstance,in theformherein illustrated the gathering-blade will make one stroke to every five stitches or may be adjusted to make a stroke with every stitch or to remain idle during the stitching. The action of the rufHer-blade may readily be discontinued when desired without the removal of the attachment from the presser-foot bar or from the needle-bar. Both of these features are frequently desirable in gathering or ruffling certain articles when it is desired that the gathering or ruffling shall vary from one gather to a number of stitches to one gather at each stitch and that such gathering and ruffiing shall at times only take place at certain points and be interrupted by plain sewing, which but for the present improvement requires the removal of the attachment, whereas by the present improvements the ruffiing may be carried on and alternate between portions where there is no rufiiing, where there is one ruffle or gather to a predetermined number of stitches, and portions where there is a ruflle or gather to every stitch. This is controlled by simple and easily-actuated means, and the product of the machine may be further varied by adjusting the length of stroke of the ruffierblade so that the width of the plait or ruffle may be valied. This adjustment is also simple and controlled by parts of easy op- .eration and which may be operated at any point in the work being performed by the attachment upon stoppin the machine for such purpose, but without the removal of the attachment or any of its parts from the machine.

In the drawings accompanying and formbar in a raised position and the ruflier-blade at the end of its forward stroke, Fig. 1 showing the ruffler-blade retracted and the needlebar at the end of its downstroke. Fig. 4. is a view from the same side as is Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position they occupy in Fig. 3, certain of them, however, being broken away. Fig. 5 is a side view of certain of the details taken from that side shown in Figs. 2 and 4, but showing the actuator-arm in a median position and the indexing pawl shown as drawn away from its ratchetwheel, the actuating-pawl being shown in engagement with the rock-arm for advancing the ruffler-blade at each upward stroke and is in the position of having made about a halfstroke. Fig. 6 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 5, but showing the indexing-pawl in the same position as shown in Fig. 5, but showing the actuating-pawl retracted from the rock-arm and the controller for said pawl upon a high portion of the cam for controlling the same. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the needle-bar will vibrate the actuating-arm idly w thout causing any strokes of the rufHer-blade. Fig. -7 is an enlarged section in line 7 7 of Fig. 1 looking from the upper left-hand side. Fig. 8 is a detail of the adjusting device for regulating the length of the retracting stroke of the rufi'lerblade. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the stud or shaft constituting the bearing or supporting member for various parts of the device. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rock-arm for actuating the ruffier-blade. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the worm-Wheel for adjusting the length of the strokes of the ruifler-blade and which constitutes the connection between the rockarm, Fig. 10, and the actuator-arm upon the down or retracting stroke.

Fig. 12 is a per spective view of the slide and link for controlling the actuating-pawl. Figs. 13 and 14 are face and side views, respectively, of the indexing-pawl and Fig. 15 shows the ratchetengaging pawl and its spring in perspective.

The form of my invention herein illustrated is intended for attachment to the resser-foot bar of a sewing-machine and embodies a framing member 21, having an upwardly-projecting eye portion 22, embracing the portion. 23 of the shaft or stud illustrated in Fig. 9 and designated in a general way by 25. This shaft or stud has a flattened face 26 adjacent to the frame-bearing portion 23 for the engagement of a similarlyflattened face in the eye portion 27 of the actuator-arm 28 for causing the stud to rotate or oscillate with the actuator-arm. Some of the actuating parts are mounted upon the stud and others upon a rivet 29, which projects through the hollow interior of such stud. As herein constituted the rufflerblade 43 will make one reciprocation to every five reciprocations of the needle-bar 31, from which needle-bar the attachment is operated. The needle-nut 32 is connected to the actuator-arm 28, the nut being embraced by the bifurcated end 33 of the arm. The stud 25 has a head or flange 34 abutting the framing member for holding it in proper axial position.

The frame has pivoted to it a member 35, carrying the separator-plate 36 and a gageplate 37. The pivot of the member 35, here shown as a rivet, may be provided with some form of tension deviceas, for instance, a star spring-washer 38. The separator-plate is normally adapted to rest upon the clothplate 40 of the sewing-machine or upon a piece of cloth interposed between such clothplate and the separator-plate. The cloth between such plates will be fed forward by the feeddog 41 in the usual manner and in proper timing with the strokes of the needle, so that such piece of cloth will after the sew ing is completed remain flat. The piece of cloth to be ruffled will pass over the separator-plate and be ruffled upon the lower piece of cloth, or if the attachment is used in shirring there will be no lower piece of cloth emloyed in many instances. The carrier 42 for the rufller or gathering blade 43 comprises a member having a slot 44, guided by a pin 45, fast with the frame, and which carrier is pivoted to the end of the rock-arm 46. (See Fig. 10 for a detail of this part.) The eye portion 47 of the arm 46 is mounted upon the portion 48 of the stud 25.

The mechanism between the rock-arm 46 and the actuating-lever 28 will now be described. A plate 50 is carried upon the stud 25 and has an opening provided with a flat face engaging the flat face 51 on the end portion of such stud, whereby it will be seen that such member 50 is fast with the actuatingarm. 28. The section of Fig. 8 is taken not on more than one plane, since the portion 48 of the stud 25 is not shown in the eye or bearing of the plate 55, but the portion 51 of the stud is seen in the eye of the member 50. The member 50 has eyes 52, carrying a wormscrew 53. The worm-screw may be provided with a milled head 54 for its ready rotation. The worm 53 is in engagement with a series of worm-teeth 550in the present instance nearly a sectorupon a plate 55, mounted upon the portion 48 of the stud 25 and movable thereon independently of the arm 46. The plate 55 has an abutment in the form of a lug 80 for engaging the face 81 of the rockarm 46, and since the plate 55 moves with the actuator-arm the rock-arm will be returned to its rearward position upon the first downstroke of the actuator-arm after it has rocked said arm forwardly and given the ruffler-plate its working stroke. The length of the feed-stroke is adjusted by rotating the worm-screw and changing the angular positions of the lug 80 on the stud. This will vary the amount of retraction or backward movement of the blade, and the object of the adjustment of the parts is to regulate the amount of cloth which will lie between its end of the blade at the commencement of its feeding or forward stroke and the point such end will reach after completion of such stroke. The plate 50 is shown as provided with lugs 82 and 83, fixing the limits of angular adjustment of the plate 55 relative to the plate 50. Such lugs engage the edges of the neck 84, carrying the lug 80.

The feed movement of the rufller-blade is imparted to it from the actuator-arm, which is shown as carrying what may be termed an actuator-pawl 56, such pawl being pivoted to the actuator-arm and adapted to en gage an abutment 57 on the rock-arm 46. A cam-wheel 58 is mounted upon the rivet 29, with which cam-wheel is associated a ratchetwheel 60, which wheels may be fast with each other and may be made integral, if desired. The ratchet-wheel 60 is shown as provided with ten teeth and the wheel 58 with two concentric faces 61, two cam-faces 62, and fallfaces 63 from the faces 61 to the faces 62. The faces 63 are somewhat in the nature of ratchet-teeth, as will presently be described.

A slide 64 (see Fig. 12),is mounted,by means of slots and rivets 65, upon the arm 28 and is normally pressed toward the aXis of the arm, in the present instance by means of a spring 66. The slide carries a link 67, engaging a recess 68 in the pawl 56, thus forming a connection with the pawl which somewhat resembles a bell-crank lever. When the slide 64 is pressed forward by the influence of the spring, the pawl 56 will be lowered and engage the abutment 57 on the rock-arm 46 when the same is in its path. of movement, and when in this position upon the elevation of the actuator-arm by the rising of the needle-bar the arm 46 will be rocked and advanced and will advance the carrier 42, and with it the rufller-blade 43, and will press forward between the separator-plate and the spring abutment or cushion 69 whatever amount of cloth was traveled over by the rufiienblade in its backward movement, thus forming a plait or ruffle, which will then be held from retraction with the rufiier-blade by said cushion and by the action of the feeddog 41.

The forward and backward movements of the slide 64 are controlled by the spring 66 and the various faces u on the cam-wheel 58, the slide having a face or portion 70,

' which will engage one of the ratchet-teeth or faces 63 upon the upward movement of the actuator-arm, and upon the downward movement of the same will ride up the face 62 and onto the face 61 and retract the slide 64. hen in such position, the pawl 56 will be raised by the link 67 and into a position where it will ride freely over the abutment 57, as in Fig. 6.

Upon the downward movement of the needle-bar, and with it the actuator-arm 28, after a ruffling stroke has been given the mufflerblade the abutment 80 will engage the face 81 of the rock-arm 46 and Wlll move the same backwardly, retracting the ruffler-blade 43. As was before stated, the plate 50 is fast with the actuator-arm, since both the plate 50 and the actuator-arm are fast upon the stud 25, and the plate 50 is fast with these parts, since its worm-teeth engage the worm-screw 53, carried by the plate 50. The abutment 81 will have a tendency to move the rock-arm back to its rearward or idle position should it by any means have been moved from such position. I

A spring-pressed pawl 71 is pivoted on the frame and is in such a position that upon the upward movement of the actuator-arm it will permit an idle movement of the ratchetwheel 60; but upon the downward movement of the said arm it will engage one of the teeth on the wheel and move the same angularly relatively to the arm and at the same time step the cam-wheel 58 angularly the same distance. Upon the face or portion running off the cam-face 61 and down the fall-face 63, the spring 66 will advance the slide 64 and cause the link 67 to press the pawl 56 into a position for engagement with the face or abutment 57 of the rock arm 46. Upon the next upward excursion of the actuator-arm the pawl 56 Wlll rock'the arm 46 and advance the ruffler-plate to the position shown in Fig. 3. During such upward movement the face or engaging portion 70 engages the tooth-like face 63 and positively advances the cam-wheel 58 and the ratchet-wheel 60,

thev being fast one with the other, as above set forth. At the other upward movements of the actuator-arm these wheels are advanced frictionally. The rivet 29 is headed over, as at 72, to tension a star spring-washer 73 against the wheel 60, and thereby presses wheel 58 against the face of the head 34 of the stud 25. The other end of the rivet is headed over the plate 50, asat 74, and the engaging portion 7 O is in frictional engagement with the cam-face 61 during the upward strokes when it is in engagement with the face 63, and thus assists in turning the wheels 58 and 60 during the idle stroke. The wheels 58 and 60 are then in friction contact not only with the head 34 of the stud 25, but with the star-washer 7 3, and it,.with the rivet-head 73 and the other head 74- of the rivet, is in frictional engagement with the plate 50, which moves with said stud. Thus it will be evident that there cannot be much lost motion of the wheels 58 and 60 due to friction during the idle movements of the actuator-arm that is, the movements which do not produce a stroke of the rufflenblade; but whatever slight movement of these parts there may be will be rectified and the parts brought to their proper positions upon the working stroke of the actuator-arm when the portion 7 O engages the face 63 and positively advances the wheels 58 and 60.

In the present construction there will be four idle movements of the actuator-arm and one active movement, with the parts set as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive; but when the pawl 71 is withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet-wheel 60 and the face 70 is against the ratchet tooth or face 63 and occupying a position at the commencement of the cam-face 62, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the actuator-pawl is in engagement with the abutment 57 the device will act as a single stroke rufflerthat is, the ruffler-blade will make an excursion and return with each eX- cursion and return of the needle-bar, thus making a ruflie at every stitch. It will be seen that the pawl has a finger 75, whereby it may be swung upon its pivot against the ac tion of the spring 76, such spring engaging a heart-cam 77, carried by the pawl, so that it will be held locked in one position or the other, but nevertheless yieldingly. Some suitable detent as, for instance, a blind rivet 78 may be employed for holding the pawl in its retracted position. WVhen, however, the parts are put in the position of Fig. 6that is, with the pawl 71 away from its ratchet and the face 70 upon one of the portions 61 of the camthe actuator-pawl will be held in such a position that it will not come into engagement with the abutment 57 on the actuatorarm 46. Consequently the strokes of the actuat0rarm will be .idle that is, no ruffling will be performed at the various strokes of the needle and this idle condition may maintain while the needle-bar is in action roo The operation of the ruffler in making one ruflle to every five stitchesthat is, with the proportion of working strokes to the idle strokes of the actuator-arm as one to four the pawl 71 will be in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, where it may run over the ratchet-teeth on the ratchet-wheel upon an upward stroke of the actuator-arm and engage the ratchet-teeth upon a reverse angular movement. When the parts are in the positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2', the needle has made a downward stroke and the ruffler-blade is retracted. Upon the needlebar rising the pawl 56 will engage the abutment 57 on the rock-arm, and the portion or face on the slide 64 will engage the face 63 on the cam-wheel 58, and upon the continuation of such upward movement the rufl'lerblade will be advanced through the connected parts and the wheels 58 and 60 will be positively angularly advanced one tooth distance of the ratchet-wheel relatively to a fixed position, and consequently relatively to the pawl 71. Upon the next succeeding downstroke of the actuator-arm the pawl 71 will hold the ratchet-wheel 60 in a fixed position and will permit the face 7 O to ride up the cam-face 62 onto the concentric portion 61, which will press the slide 64 against the spring 66 and will raise the actuator-pawl 56 out of engagement with the abutment 57, placing it in the position shown in Fig. 6. The next three upward strokes of the actuator-arm will frictionally carry the ratchetwheel 60 idly under the pawl 71, and the downward strokes will advance the ratchetwheel 60 and the cam-wheel 58 one-tooth distance of the ratchet-wheel until the parts are brought again to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. If, however, it is desired to have a ruffle made at each stroke of the needle, so that each ruffle will have one stitch instead of five stitches, the pawl 71 will be withdrawn from the ratchetwheel, so that it cannot, as shown in Fig. 5, index with the same. The indexing-pawl must be retracted at an opportune timenamely, when the actuator-pawl 56 is in engagement with the abutment on the rock-arm and the face 70 of the slide 64 adjacent to the face 63 of the cam, and consequently at the lowest portion thereof, then each stroke of the actuator-arm will advance the ruflier-blade and each downward stroke of the same will cause the abutment to engage the rock-arm 46 and retract the ruflier-blade. In cases where it is desired to stitch without ruffiing the pawl 71 will be withdrawn when the face 70 is upon one of the concentric faces 61 of the cam. In this position, which is illustrated in Fig. 6, the actuator-pawl 56 will be in a position to pass over the abutment 57 upon the upstrokes of the actuator-arm, thereby leaving the ruflier-blade in its retracted position. The length of stroke of the ruffler-blade may be adjusted by the worm-screw 53, as was before stated. The angular adjustment of the abutment 80 upon the stud 25 will determine the amount of retraction which is given the ruffler-blade. The forward position of the ruffler-blade is constant and the adjustment is produced by varying the retraction. By these means it will be possible to accomplish the various adjustments referred to in the first part of this specification.

The invention, as does also the mechanism, largely centers upon the shaft or stud 25. (See Fig 9 for a perspective view of this part and its construction and relation to the parts which it supports and those which support and also those which oscillate it with and relative to some of these.) The stud constitutes, as it were, the back-bone of the device and imparts firmnessand compactness to the structure as a whole and rigidity of position and precision of movement to each of the parts mounted upon it. It will be seen that the actuator-arm 28 is fast with the stud and oscillates it upon the reciprocations of the needle-bar and that the portion 23 of the stud embraced by the bearing 22 in the frame portion 21 is immediately adjacent to the por tion 26, engaged by the eye 27 of the actuator-arm 28. The head of flange 34 is car ried by the stud at the end of the bearing portion 23 and affords a wide bearing and steadying support for engaging the frame 21 for preventing wabbling of the stud, and it will be noticed that this flange is on one side of the frame-bearing and the actuator-arm is upon the opposite side, and these are in contact with the respective side faces of the frame, thus producing firmness and compactness. These parts are made of thin metal, as are all the parts of the device, which in the present practice in this art are stamped out of sheet metal. The rock-arm 46, which is connected to the ruflier-blade, is mounted free on that part of the portion 48 of the stud which is nearest the actuator-arm, and the reaction of the arm 46 will be taken by the stud at such a region relative to its support and so near the actuator-arm that there will be no rotation of the stud due to the work. The cam-and-ratchet member 58 60 is mounted on a stud or rivet 29, passing through the stud 25, and such member is in surface engagement with the head 34, thus having direct support from the frame member, and all the parts are held in place by spring-washers.

Although the form of my attachment herein illustrated is shown as constructed for making the Working strokes to the idle strokes as one to four, yet it will be apparent that any other number may be employed in practice, as found expedient; but common experience has shown me that one to four is at the present time the popular combination.

It may frequently happen that the needlebar strokes of the various machines of a pattern which-the present improvement may be particularly constructed for will vary in length, and it will be evident that if the upward stroke moves the ratchet-wheel an excess angular distance less than one toothspace, that the movement from the point where the index-pawl 71 indexed with the ratchet-wheel, that the return movement will be idle from such overthrow, as it were, to the point where the said pawl. will index. This will do away with any necessity for adjustment to accommodate variations which are bound to arise in the length of needlebar stroke and consequently make the limits of interchangeability greater than were each instrument embodying the present invention dependent upon an absolute length of needlebar stroke.

It will be evident to those skilled inthe art that various changes maybe made in constructing this attachment without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to the presser-foot bar, of an actuator-arm pivotally mounted upon the frame, a ruffler-blade, a rock-arm mounted on the frame and connected to the blade, an actuator-pawl pivoted on the actuator-arm for engagement with the rock-arm for imparting an excursion to the blade at each excursion in one direction of the needle-bar, means for moving the actuator-pawl into an active position a cam having a face for retracting the actuator-pawl into an inactive position and a face for permitting the same to remain active', and manually-adjustable.means for angularly shifting the cam relative to the actuator-pawl step by step at the successive strokes of the needle-bar for preventing the actuation of the blade at some of the strokes of the needle-bar.

- 2. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to the presser-foot bar, of an actuator-arm pivotally mounted upon the frame, a ruffler-blade, a rock-arm connected to the blade, an actuator-pawl carried by the actuator-arm for engagement with the rockarm, means for moving the actuator-pawl into an active position a cam for retracting the actuator-pawl into an inactive position, frictional means controlled by the actuatorarm for oscillating the cam, a pawl and ratchet for preventing the excursions of the cam in one direction for angularly shifting the cam relative to the actuator-pawl step by step at the successive reciprocations of the needle-bar, and means for holding the pawl retracted from the ratchet to permit the cam to remain in a fixed position relative to the actuator-pawl.

3. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-Ina chines, the cornbmation with a frame'for attachment to the needle-bar, a ruffler-blade, at.

rock-arm connected to the blade and pivoted concentrically with the actuator-arm, an actuator-pawl pivoted on the actuator-arm for engagement with the rock-arm, means for moving the actuator-pawl into an active position a cam for retracting the actuator-pawl into an inactive position, frictional means controlled by the actuator-arm for imparting its oscillations to the cam, a pawl and ratchet for preventing the excursions of the cam in one direction for angularly shifting the cam relative to the actuator-pawl step by step at the-successive reciprocations of the needlebar, and means for holding the pawl retracted from the ratchet to permit the cam to remain in a fixed position relative to the actuatorpawl.

4. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame, of a stud rotatably carried thereby, an actuator arm fast with the stud, a ruffler-blade, a ro ckarm connected to the blade and mount ed loose on the stud, an actuator-pawl carried by the actuator-arm for engagement with the rock-arm, means for moving the actuator-pawl into an active position a cam rotatably mounted on the stud and having a face for retracting the actuator-pawl into an inactive position, means for holding the cam in frictional engagement with the stud, a ratchet fast with the cam and a pawl engaging the same for angularly shifting the cam relatively to the stud step by step at the successive downstrokes of the needle-bar, and means for holding the ratchet-pawl from the ratchet-wheel to maintain the cam in a fixed position relative to the stud.

5. In a rufiier attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for at tachment to a sewing-machine, said frame being provided with a bearing, of a stud rotatably mounted in said bearing, an actuatorarm having a bifurcated end'for engaging the needle-nut on the needle-bar and fast with said stud, a ruffler-blade, a carrier therefor shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose on said stud, said arm having an abutment, an actuator-pawl pivoted to said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment upon the upward stroke of the arm for imparting a feed-stroke to the ruffler-blade, a slide carried by said actuator-arm, a link connecting said slide and pawl, a cam-wheel rotatably mountedupon said stud and having a cam-face for shifting said slide and drawing the pawl away from its engagement with said abutment, a ratchetwheel fast with said cam-wheel, and a pawl upon the frame for engaging said ratchetwheel upon the downstrokes of the needlebar.

6. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-ma chines, the combination with a frame provided with a bearing, a stud rotatably mounted in the bearing, an actuator-arm having means for connection with the needle-b ar and fast with the said stud, a rufller-blade shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted thereto and mounted loose upon saidstud, said arm having an abutment, an actuator pawl carried by said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment upon the upward stroke of the arm for imparting a feed-stroke'to the ruflier-blade, a slide carried by said actuatorarm, a link connecting said slide and pawl, means for reciprocating said slide for shifting said pawl into and out of its working position, and a pawl and ratchet for actuating said means to shift said pawl into its working position once to a plurality of strokes of the needle-bar.

7. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to a sewing-machine, of a stud rotatably mounted in the frame, an actuatorarm for engaging the needle-b ar and fast with said stud, a ruflier-blade, a carrier therefor shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose upon said stud, said arm having an abutment, an aotuator-pawl pivoted to said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment and upon the upward stroke of the arm imparting a feedstroke to the ruffler-blade, a slide carried by said actuatorarm, means for advancing the slide a link connecting said slide and actuatorpawl, a cam-wheel rotatably mounted upon said stud and having a cam-face for retracting said slide and drawing the actuator-pawl away from its engagement with said abutment, a ratchet-wheel fast with said camwheel, a pawl upon the frame for engaging said ratchet-wheel upon the downstrokes of the needle-bar, a wormscrew and means for carrying the same fast with said stud, a plate having worm-teeth in en agement with said screw and loose upon said stud and provided with an abutment for engaging the rock-arm for returning the same to its idle position upon the descent of the needlebar.

8. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for at tachment to the sewing-machine, a stud rotatably mounted in the frame, an actuatorarm haVIII means for attachment to a needle-bar and fast with said stud, a ruflier-blade shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm connect ed thereto and mounted loose upon said stud, said arm having an abutment, an actuatorpawl pivoted to said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment and upon the upward stroke of the arm imparting a feed-stroke to the rufHer-blade, a slide mounted upon said actuator-arm, a link connecting said slide and actuator-pawl, a cam-wheel rotatably mounted upon said stud and having a camface for shifting said slide and drawing the "agement with said abutment, elastically-yidldable means for returning said slide, a ratchet-wheel fast with said cam-wheel, a pawl upon the frame for engaging said ratchet-wheel and upon the downstrokes of the needle bar angularly shifting the cam-wheel relatively to the stud step by step, a worm-screw and means for carrying the same fast with said stud, a plate having worm-teeth in engagement with said screw and loose upon said stud, said plate having an abutment for engaging the rockarm for returning the same to its idle position upon the descent of the needle-bar.

9. In a rufller attachment for sewing-ma chines, the combination with a frame adapted for attachment to the sewing-machine, said frame being provided with a bearing, a stud rotatably mounted in the bearing, an actuator-arm for engaging the needle-bar and fast with said stud, a ruflier-blade, a carrier therefor shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose upon said stud, said. arm having an abutment, an actuator-pawl pivoted to said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment and upon the upward stroke of the arm imparting a feedstroke to the ruffler-blade, a slide mounted upon said actuator-arm, means for advancing the slide a link connecting said slide and actuator-pawl, a camwheel rotatably mountedupon said stud and having a cam-face for retracting said slide and drawing the actuator-pawl away from its engagement with. said abutment, a ratchet-wheel fast with said cam-wheel, a pawl upon the frame for engaging said ratchet-wheel and upon the downstrokes of the needle-bar angularly shifting the cam-wheel relatively to the stud step by step, a worm-screw and a plate for carrying the same fast with said stud, a plate having worm-teeth in engagement with said screw and loose upon said stud, and an abutment carried by said plate and engagin the rockarm for returning the same to its i le position upon the descent of the needle-bar, abutments carried by the plate supporting said wormscrew for engaging said lug for limiting the angular adjustment of the lug relative to the rock-arm.

10. In a ru'lfler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to a sewing-machine, said frame having a thin broad portion provided with a bearing, of a stud having a flange and rotatably mounted in said bearing, said flange being in surface engagement with said bearing-carrying portion of the frame, a thin broad actuator arm for engaging the needle-bar and fast with said stud and in surface engagement with the bearing-carrying portion of the frame, a ruffler-blade, a carrier therefor shiftable upon the frame, a thin broad rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose on said stud and in surface enga ement with the actuator-arm, said rock-arm avin an abutment, an actuator-pawl pivoted to said pawl away actuator arm for engaging said abutment upon the upward stroke of the arm for imparting a feed-stroke to the rulfler-blade, a slide carried by said actuator-arm, means for advancin the slide a link connecting said slide an pawl, a secondary stud carried by said stud and projecting beyond the flange, a cam-wheel rotatably mounted upon said secondary stud in surface engagement with said stud-flange and having a cam-face for retractin said slide and drawing the from its engagement with said abutment, a ratchet wheel fast with said cam-wheel, and a pawl upon the frame for engaging said ratchet-wheel upon the downstroke of the needle-b ar for angularly shiftin the cam-wheel relative to the actuator-paw step by step.

11. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to a sewing-machine and having a bearing, of a stud havinga flange and rotatably mounted in said bearing, said flange be ing in surface engagement with the frame, an actuator-armfor enga ing the needle-bar and fast with said stud and in surface'engagement with the frame, a ruffler-blade, a carrier there for shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose on said stud and in surface engagement with the actuator-arm, said rock-arm having an abutment, anactuator-pawl pivoted to said actuator-arm for engaging said abutment uponthe upward stroke of the arm for imparting a feed-stroke to the ruffler-blade, a slide carried by said actuator-arm, means for advancing the slide a link connecting said slide and pawl, said stud having an extension beyond the flange, a cam-wheel rotatably mounted upon said extension in surface engagement with said studflange and having a cam-face for retracting said slide and drawing the pawl away from its engagement with said abutment, a ratchet-wheel fast with said camwheel, and a pawl for engaging said ratchetwheel upon the downstroke of the needle-bar for angularly shifting the cam-wheel step by step relative to the actuator-pawl.

12. In a ruffler attachment for sewing-machines, the combination with a frame for attachment to a sewing-machine and having a bearing, of a-stud having a flange and rotatably mounted in said bearing, said flange be ing in surface engagement with the frame, an actuator-arm for engaging the needle-b ar and fast with said stud and in surface engagement with the frame, a rufflcr-blade, a carrier therefor shiftable upon the frame, a rock-arm pivoted to said carrier and mounted loose on said stud and in surface engagement with the actuator-arm, means carriedby said actuatorarm for rocking said arm and reciprocating the rufHer-blade, a cam-wheel rotatably mounted upon said extension in surface engagement with said stud-flange and having a cam-face for controlling said arm-rocking means, a ratchet-wheel fast with said camwheel, and a pawl engaging said ratchetwheel upon'the strokes in one direction of the needle-b ar for angularly shifting the cam wheel step by step relative to the stud.

Signed at Torrington, Litchfleld county, Connecticut, this 29th day of June, 1905.

AMHERST G. LAMB.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. MonEHoUsE, D. HILDRETH. 

